Loop and stitch forming device



Filed Feb. 28, 1940 Patented Jan. 27, 1942 LOOP AND STITCH'FORMING DEVICE Edward D-. Davis, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Boye Needle Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 28, 1940, Serial No. 321,309

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a loop and stitch forming device, such as, for example, a knitting needle, crochet hook, tatting device, etc. Each of such devices is provided with a point of some character which is brought into engagement with thread to form loops or stitches. It is believed that the invention can be fully and accurately described in connection with the illustration of a knitting needle alone in the specification below.

In the use of knitting needles and other stitch or loop forming devices, it is of the greatest importance that the surfaces of the device be extremely smooth so as to allow the threads to slide without clogging along the surfaces of the device. Metal pins are heavy, and coatings formed thereon do not tend t adhere and do not provide the degree of smoothness desired. The enamel or coating of such pins tends to chip off or peel, with the result that a roughness is produced, seriously impeding the work. Composition devices, such as, for example, casein, may be polished to a high degree of smoothness, but the surface immediately becomes reflective in character and such needles cannot be used at night or in artificial light for any period of time, consequently such needles are provided with a partial finish which does not give the desired glass-smoothness which enables the stitches to slide readily along the surfaces.

An object of the present invention is to provide a loop and stitch forming device in such a manner as to enable its surface to be polished highly to attain the smoothness of glass while at the same time preventing such surface from becoming reflective of light. A further object is to provide a color-impregnated device which may be used without diminution or changing of the color while at the same time permitting the device to be polished to the degree of smoothness afforded by glass without becoming reflective of light to any noticeable degree. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in one representative embodiment, in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a broken plan view of a knitting needle embodying my invention; and Fig. 2, a cross sectional view thereof.

I have discovered that a knitting needle, crochet hook, tatting device, or other loop and stitch forming device may be formed of a lightweight composition material and polished to attain the smoothness of glass while preventing the reflective characteristics of such smoothness to become effective through the impregnating of the body of material with a non-reflective pigment or coloring material. The device may be formed of casein, Celluloid, and a variety of other similar materials.

As an example, the device may be formed of casein impregnated with a non-reflective coloring material, producing the color effect of neutral gray or some other suitable non-reflective color. Neutral gray is found to be most effective because in knitting, etc. under light and artificial light, this does not produce a glare or glitter effect which hurts the eyes. In the knitting operation, it is found that if there is any reflection of light by the surface, before long eyestrain develops and the knitting must be discontinued.

In the forming of the knitting needle illustrated and shown as a specific example, I take some suitable material, such, as, for example, casein, which is extremely light and which is non-inflammable. The casein is impregnated with a coloring material forming neutral gray, and the needles are formed in the usual manner from the colored composition product. The rod is formed of the desired diameter by extruding the same through dies and then the points are formed by grinding or by other suitable means. After being formed, the needles are brought to a bufing machine and the buffing is continued until the surface attains the smoothness of a glass surface. The bufling results in covering the pores which otherwise would exist in the material and bring about a continuous enveloping skin I 0 of highly polished character. It has the smoothness of glass. Such a surface would be extremely reflective of light, and were it not for the non-reflective coloring material, it would produce such glare in the knitting operation that it could not be used by persons knitting at night. However, with the non-reflective pigment employed, the high finish doe not result in any glare or eyestrain.

While in the specification, I have set forth one illustrative device, it will be understood that the same is applicable to other loop and stitch forming devices and, further, that changes may be made in the details which have been set out herein for the purpose of illustration without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A loop and stitch forming device comprising a body member of porous material equipped with a point, a surface skin closing the pores of said body and polished to a mirror-like smoothness which would normally be highly reflective, and a neutral gray pigment impregnating said skin and rendering it non-reflective.

2. A loop and stitch forming device comprising a non-reflective and porous bodyv member formed of casein and equipped with a point, a surface skin closing the pores of said body and polished to a mirror-like smoothness which would ordinarily be highly reflective, and a neutral gray pigment impregnating at least said skin and rendering th device non-reflective.

' EDWARD D. DAVIS. 

